Hi Siarl, Hi Siarl I'm glad you enjoyed. It was frustrating while filming, but after watching it while editing, it was funny. Thanks for watching! -Mark
My hound also steals zip ties! Cute but I took to putting my hair back in a braid and sticking the zip ties through my hair so I can grab them and my pup can't. I'm sure there are less ridiculous looking solutions.
Cattle fencing is expensive.You can buy 5’ x 150’ of 10-gauge concrete wire mesh for $200. That is enough to build 21 cages 54” high with 6” sunk into the ground. How to: Cut 2 pieces 6 squares each in width and cut the horizontal piece out of the length at the bottom. Use a 2x4 and bend the 6 panel 90 degrees with three panels on each side. Do it again for the second piece. Now you have two parts to a square tomato cage that will be 18” across and 54” high with 6” sunk into the garden. Secure with zip ties. I use rebar to secure the height if necessary. Makes 21 cages (you use 7 panels to make 6 (waste) so 150' x 12" = 1800" / 42” (7 panels) = 43 halves = 21 cages for $200 so $10 a cage plus or minus one cage. You can stack the cages with no problem and they store easily since they nest
Could use the cages on their side w plastic over to make mini greenhouse early in the season. Then when the weather warms, use them as cages. I love multipurpose use!
Super smart idea! I like how its affordable, heavy duty, and easy to store. I've seen cattle panels used in the garden but not like this, really creative. I Love how enticed your dog is by zip ties lol
Hi! Thank you! Glad it was helpful! I also like the fact that they will last for years and years being very solid and the I can stack them in the winter and not take up much space is great! Between Holly and her full older sister Annie, who is a year older, there are some real antics around the farm! lol Someone brought a pound cake last week in a tupperware container and I noticed Annie throwing a red lid up in the air and catching it having a big time. Well, you guessed it, she stole the container off the counter in the retail greenhouse, took the lid off, ate the entire cake and than chewed up the container! Thanks for watching! -Mark
Very clever use of the 16 footer. For permanent use, one could fashion two whole cages from each 16 footer (one with 2' sides, one slightly smaller due to loss of 8" from cutting). But you were way smarter than that. You've devised a way to make robust cages and make them collapsible for storage. Great concept
Dude i love your channel its a miracle u made this video cuz i was dying to see how you made ur cages in the tomato video. Lotsa love from southern California!!
Hi! Glad you enjoyed the video! Those make the best cages. They are heavy, will last for years and years and you can just cut the wire ties at the end of the season and stack them in the garage, shed for the winter and they don't take much space up at all. Thanks for watching! -Mark
Hi Linda! Typically, I can't bring her along when working in the garden and the older 2 come with me and watch and now you see why! lol If I plant it, she pulls it out! They really do make great tomato cages. Linda, thanks so much for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Good luck with the cages too! Take care, -Mark
Great idea. Thanks for sharing. I use stakes and baskets from hog wire. I also plant over 100 tomatoes in my Ruth Stout garden. WOOF!!! That pup is awesome.
Love the upstaging of your co-star! 🤣 I'll be making my cages ,like yours, next spring! Great tip. I may put chicken wire at the bottom inside and attach to the walls so no critters can get to the plants! I have a few squirrels, skunks, groundhogs, and opossums that have been sneaking lower maters, this year!
HOLLY is just too darn CUTE!!!!!!! I love cattle panels. I bend the entire panel lengthwise and secure to 4' t-posts 5 foot apart to make wonderful arches for my pickle plants to climb. You just walk thru the arch and the pickles just dangle between the squares. Then I have a 16' panel secured running alongside my tomato plants and then I simply tie the main stem to the panel as it grows. I don't need cages at all this way.
Hi Roy! Yes cattle panels are awesome! I elected to use cages in this garden ultimately because I thought they would do a better job of showcasing each plant/ variety instead of growing them side by side on a fence. With some further spacing, I think this can be accomplished. I used to do my tomatoes on a tunnel... I love the tunnel, A- frame, and or fence concept!... airflow is wonderful! Thank you for the input! Best, -Mark
I like that they are galvanized but the issue with all fencing is the narrowing spaces can't get my arm through. I have been using rolls of concrete re-mesh from the builder's supply/hardware store, 9ga wire on a 6" grid, comes 5ft wide and 150ft long, not galvanized but it is slow rusting. I like to cut it every 11 squares(5.5ft) per cage so I get 27 cages 5ft tall 21inch diameter, that it comes rolled makes round cages easy. I found a way to bend hooks on the sharp ends so they don't need ties and there is no wasted mesh. (the 20 inch diameter may need a stake to prevent tipping) Double check the squares are exactly 6 inch before buying, some brands measure the roll by counting squares and the 5.8" spacing will cheat you out of 5feet per roll.
Hi David! Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying them. Holly....I hope she doesn't realize that! She's bad enough now! Did you watch what she did to me in the end of the video thanking my viewers for 4K subscribers. lol In the last tomato tasting video, I had to stop with the camera still running towards the end because out of the corner of my eye, I saw a tomato cage across the garden waving back and forth. You guessed! Who else! In the first tomato tasting video shot a few weeks ago, you can see her on camera in the beginning lying behind me on her back with her feet in the air looking at my behind. You guessed! She rolled over and jumped up and nipped me in the behind. I had to edit out what I said to her. lol Her head got swelled up enough last week when a viewer was kind enough to send her a entire box of dog treats and all kinds of other stuff for her. lol Thank you for watching and commenting. Spread the word of the channel if you would! David, you have a great day/evening! Best -Mark
Hi! I'm glad you found the video useful. I will probably never have to buy cages again. They are heavy, stack for winter storage, can be used as a "tent" in early spring over plants to throw a cover onto if you are getting a frost. A lot of benefits! Thanks for watching/commenting! Best, -Mark
Hi Lisa! Holly....I love her too! She's a typical Rottie. Lots of energy and lot's of mischief. When Holly and her older sister Annie (same mom) get together, you know there is going to be some trouble. Annie is good for stealing peoples snacks, lunches who help out here on the farm. Yesterday, she took Wades triscuits from his snack bag and ate the entire box. They need to get smarter because Annie is definitely not going to get dummer! Thanks for watching! -Mark
Hi Markiza! They really are heavy duty, long lasting cages and you can take them apart into two sections, stack them and store them for the winter season. Thank you! Thanks for watching/commenting! Happy Gardening! -Mark
You read my mind Mark! I just spent $500 on these since the last time we spoke! I seen your garden and said, I gotta have it lol:) They look so nice and they are definitely going to be the best tomato cages. We made ours 9 squares tall and 6 squares wide but we cut the bottom line out to use as stakes... If that makes any sense. Helpful video:)
@@marksgardenlife5971 np, I love your videos! Keep them coming:) You should check out the book Epic Tomatoes! Its a beautifully illustrated book with lots of history, ideas, recipes, tomato descriptions with beautiful pictures etc. I think you would love it!
We have a Goldendoodle named Lucy, who is now 2, but there are numerous stories of friends coming to our house and us having to chase Lucy around the backyard for their shoes or purse or something out of a purse up until the last 6 months or so. Holly is too cute!!
Hi Michele! Believe it or not, Rotties are very playful and will drive you nutts through the puppy stage constantly pushing the boundaries of what they can get away with. lol Of course having a older sister who just turned a year old this past winter makes it even more difficult. It sounds as you went through the same with Lucy. Michele, thanks for watching & I hope you continue. If you like my channel, spread the word! Take care, -Mark
Different strokes for folks. I use cattle panels for my tomatoes but in traditional vertical row. Here in the Gulf Coast 90 degree days and 90 percent humidity lead to massive disease problems for tomatoes unless they have very good air circulation. I found traditional tomato support cages lead to disease. I now train the vines up the cattle panels and remove all lower leaves. This has given bumper crops past few years and minimal disease. Also much easier to see and pick fruit. Adaption to environment is essential to good garden results.
Nice video, those tomato cages are definitely heavy duty! Laughed at Holly! My golden does the same thing to me when I'm working in the garden. I was starting to think it was me.
Hi Michael! Thank you! Yes, they are very heavy duty and I will probably be using them 20 years from now. lol Holly is a handful as well as her older sister (same mom) who just turned a year old. You have to love them though even when they can drive you crazy at times. lol Michael, I really appreciate you watching and hope you continue with future videos. Take care, -Tom
Puppies will be puppies! I will definitely stay tuned for future videos. And I will have to give those tomato cages a try- mine didn’t make it through ⅛ of the season last year!
This is what I was interested in… the tomato cages I saw in one of your other video. But then I was amused with what your Rott puppy was up to behind your back. Hahaha :D It sure was very informative and delightful video. Thanks for sharing this video c”,)
Hi Jasper! Holly is something! She's grown a great deal since filming that, but just as bad still! Watch the video I did thanking my viewers for 4K subscribers in the very end what she did to me. That's Holly! lol I'm glad you enjoyed my video. I appreciate you watching and of course, thank you for commenting too! Spread the word of the channel if you would. Jasper, you have a great day! Best, -Mark
Hi Jeff! So, so true! I thought about re-doing the video after all the interruptions, but I was short on time and couldn't. Glad you enjoyed and thanks for watching! -Mark
This is a really interesting idea with cattle panels. I folded all mine into an "A" and had them span two rows and I just tie the tomato plants to the panels but after about 6 or 7 feet in height it gets annoying to pick them because of the reach. After watching your tomato video (which was awesome) I was very curious about your cages. Thanks for sharing and your doggo is adorable.
I used to do the tomato tunnel!... Huge fan! I like the cages because I like the idea of planting multiple varieties in proximity and still have onlookers be able to tell them apart somewhat... the plants don't grow together as much... Well, that was the theory anyways! haha. I think the extra space I'm giving this season will help. Thanks for watching! -Mark
Hi AADemps! Glad it was helpful! Those make the most incredible cages. You would not believe how sturdy they are and they will last a lifetime most likely, so the initial investment is worth it. The fact you can just cut the wire ties at the end of the season and stack them in the garage is just a bonus. Thanks for watching! I really appreciate that! -Mark
Thought I recognized that accent 😉. Hey from Baltimore! UA-cam algorithm just suggested your video. Looks like your channel is going to see some changes in traffic. #happyblowup
Hi Nick! lol I didn't realize I had an accent! I'm seeing some changes now and I really appreciate that people are watching. I wasn't sure when I started if they would. Thanks for watching! I really appreciate that! Take care, -Mark
Very cool ... I saw your tomato video from last year, and was very impressed how you explained the basics of all the types and varieties of tomatoes. I shared it with a bunch of friends. As for the tomato cages, I am assuming when you say "two feet apart", you mean two feet between the edge of each cage? That's pretty wide spacing, which for you is not a problem, because you have plenty of space. Maybe in the early fall you can compare the harvest results between last year's spacing and this years.
Hi Jeff! It's nice to hear you enjoyed the video and shared it too. That video was a last minute thought one really nice evening last August. You can tell there was no planning or prep put into it. I just walked around the garden and pointed out various tomatoes that I thought stood out in the group. Next time, I'll be a little more prepared and pre pick and pre-slice the various varieties so it speeds the video up. I'm still learning! lol The spacing- yes, 2 feet between cages. To tell you the truth, I don't fertilize at all and because of the soil, the tomatoes just got much larger than I anticipated. They were huge! *Watch my soil video being posted this coming Friday morning 5-14-21. Yes, that's a great idea to do a comparison video of harvest and I will. Well, thanks again for watching & I'm really glad you enjoyed it. -Mark
Thank you! I think I'll keep her! lol Having 3 Rotties together can be a challenge at times especially when 2 of them are still young. Thanks for watching! -Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 of course! I recently started gardening on my rooftop a year ago, so I watch any videos I can get tips from. Hope you share more videos on gardening tip like how you take care of your Tomatoes next time haha!
Hi Christi! My dogs are always with me on the farm, so sometimes things don't go as planned! I almost re-filmed the video after all that with Holly, but with my time being so short this time of year, I just left it alone. Thanks for watching and hope you enjoyed even with the shenanigans of Holly! lol -Mark
Those cages look super sturdy :) I'm searching all I can, but I'm not able to find anything equivalent to cattle panels where I live over here in Norway. Beautiful garden btw. Looking forward to seeing more from you (and your pup) :)
Hi Inger! Yes, they really are extremely sturdy and I like the fact they are so easy to break down for winter storage. I've got to tell you, but it's amazing to me I am speaking to someone in Norway! The garden...thank you! I've spent a lot of time getting it to the point I am happy with it. Inger, I really do appreciate you watching & hope I keep it interesting enough that you continue! If you would, spread the word in Norway about my channel. I really would appreciate that! I would love to see some pic. of your garden in Norway. Marksgardenlife.com -Mark
I've seen a couple of your videos and last years tomato review was GREAT. Your garden man i don't even know what to say it is beautiful . But the reason i subscribed to your channel is the HOUND. Holly is a cool pup and I loved her antics with the zip ties. LMAO Anyway take care of the hound she'll LOVE you her whole life.
Hi JstFunning! Thank you! I appreciate the kind words. Holly is definitely ornery! I thought before I was about to film that video is she going to behave herself? As you saw, she didn't! It was frustrating when I was trying to film, but I'll most likely remember that video for years. lol Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed! -Mark
Hi John! They do make great long lasting heavy cages and I really like the fact they are so easy to break down and store for the winter season. I will have to order some and give that a try. Thank you for the suggestion! John, thanks for watching too! -Mark
Hi Andy! Glad you like it! They make great heavy duty cages that will last for years and the great thing is they don't take up much room in the shed because you can tear them down and stack them for the winter. Thanks for watching! -Mark
OMG! So, I am new here and saw a couple of other videos and fell in love with those cages. I was going to message you about them and this video showed up in my feed!! What are the chances? I've got to make some of those!
Hi! Thanks! I love Rotties as well. I'm fortunate with all the space here for them to run and have a good time. They are a high energy breed! One of them or more is usually with me all day long. Thanks for watching! -Mark
I have friend who does this!! Tip suggestion on sharp edges...cut each section individually, take the straight cut edge and trim to about 2” , fold it around the next section, enclose the final section with zip ties. No need to fold and at the end of the season cut the ties and they fold flat for storage. Love the pup thief “helper”!! 😂 🥰
Glad you got your zip ties back! Awesome video. This is gonna go hand in hand with the tomato variety video! Did you think about turning the cattle panel 90° and get them to be longer. In that case you could potentially open the lower end to create spikes that can go in the ground and give more stability. 😉
Great question! I did consider that, You could certainly do it that way, and it was a tough call... I ultimately elected to cut the other direction because I wanted the bend to land directly on a wire. The panels i used don't quite line up at the halfway point in the other direction... I guess it was just more aesthetically pleasing to me to do it this way. Plus the "build 6 get one free" sold me. Thanks for the input! -Mark
Hi Jeffrey! Thank you! The beds are roughly 6" tall... they are comprised of two courses of pressure treated "landscape timbers". I tilled compost and manure into the ground below the beds before framing them out and filling them. Good luck to you! Thank you for watching! And yes, I intend to do a whole lot more posting, -Mark
She's like dad.... Pay attention to me lol that's a good idea for cages I know I've wasted a lot of money when I started on pretty red, green cages that bent as soon as the tomato set fruit 😕
Is it too forward to ask if you would marry me!? Lmao Just kidding. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and your pup play time. Using a ton of your tips all the way in Illinois.
Hey Tiffany! You are very welcome and I'm glad you are finding some of my videos helpful! I'm visit Chicago every few years for business. We are thinking of doing a gardening youtuber day where a lot of the top garden youtubers in the country attend and meet the people that follow them. Chicago will probably be one of the areas used and than probably a day on the east coast and also west coast. Would something like that interest you? Well, Tiffany, thanks for watching and also for taking the time to send me a comment. -Mark
Hey John! I priced the concrete wire and it is cheaper, but I liked the fact the cattle panels are galvanized and the wire gauge is heavier with the cattle panels too. If you purchase the concrete wire, I would buy it in panels so you don't have to go through the process of trying to flatten it. Someone a while back commented about the concrete wire on this video, so you may want to go back and read their comments. They had a lot of points they made. Thanks for watching/commenting! Happy Gardening! -Mark
What do you use for tomato disease(s)? I'm dealing with septoria leaf spot and typically early blight is close behind. We've had rain, hot, humid weather. perfect disease conditions.
I actually would electrify all the tomatoe cages by welding the excess panel wire to the cages so they havev continuity. When some jagoff tries to come and steal them they get a very nice suprise.
How many plants are you getting in each cage? Cattle panels are not cheap and you only get 2 cages per panel. Winds up being around $11 per cage but I guess they should last for years.
Hi bigala! Just one plant per cage. Those cages are very heavy and yes, they will last for years and years, so in the long run, they are fairly cheap. I like how I can break them down very easily in the fall and stack them away too. Thanks for watching! -Mark
Hi Steve! The tomato beds are 8ft x 24ft each... Each bed will contain 8 tomato cages and 8 tomato plants this year... Thanks so much for subscribing! -Mark
Hey Frank! Actually, I have not had that problem yet. There are a lot of squirrels here on the property, but they seem to hang around the trees around the house. I see them sitting on the porch roofs on occasion too. Thanks for watching! -Mark
Hi Jacqueline! She won 2nd prize at her dog class! lol Yes, they are like a sponge at that age. She wants everything I have my hands on that she can't have! lol Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed! Take care, -Mark
Hi Edward! With a Rottie pup, a good many things are chewy! It's never ending! Thanks for watching and also for commenting. Glad you enjoyed too! -Mark
She wants to play so badly! If she listens to a sit or down command at a distance, and ONLY if, next time she runs off with your stuff, give her a sit or down command. But remember the rule - never give a dog a command that you cannot enforce right away if she fails to perform. On the cages, do you make it two sides vs four so that you can break them down and stack easily off-season?
Hi C S! Yes, I've been taking her to class for several months now. Were in level 3 class right now. I like the 2 sides because they do stack so well. You can also use the 2 sided cages for tents over plants in early spring if you want to get things in early and cover on cool nights. Thanks for the advice on Holly and for watching/commenting too. Best, -Mark
Hi Ivette! To tell you the truth, for the amount of years those cages will last, they even be cheaper in the long run. I cut the wire ties every fall and stack them away in a building for the winter and that's great also. -Mark
Came here for the tomato cages, stayed to watch the pup play. LOL
Hi Siarl,
Hi Siarl
I'm glad you enjoyed. It was frustrating while filming, but after watching it while editing, it was funny. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Same here! So cute! If all of us were so happy go lucky!
My hound also steals zip ties! Cute but I took to putting my hair back in a braid and sticking the zip ties through my hair so I can grab them and my pup can't. I'm sure there are less ridiculous looking solutions.
Handsome, talented, inspiring! Learning a lot…great channel.
Omg that rotty baby is so cute!!!!! Perfect form. Good temperment, looks like. The cages look awesome, like something from Architectural Digest.
Hi Burton!
Thank you! 😊 A real good temperament, but at the "terrible twos" stage right now! lol As always, thanks again for watching!
-Mark
Cattle fencing is expensive.You can buy 5’ x 150’ of 10-gauge concrete wire mesh for $200. That is enough to build 21 cages 54” high with 6” sunk into the ground.
How to: Cut 2 pieces 6 squares each in width and cut the horizontal piece out of the length at the bottom. Use a 2x4 and bend the 6 panel 90 degrees with three panels on each side. Do it again for the second piece. Now you have two parts to a square tomato cage that will be 18” across and 54” high with 6” sunk into the garden. Secure with zip ties. I use rebar to secure the height if necessary.
Makes 21 cages (you use 7 panels to make 6 (waste) so 150' x 12" = 1800" / 42” (7 panels) = 43 halves = 21 cages for $200 so $10 a cage plus or minus one cage. You can stack the cages with no problem and they store easily since they nest
Could use the cages on their side w plastic over to make mini greenhouse early in the season. Then when the weather warms, use them as cages. I love multipurpose use!
Hi!
Yes, you could and that's a great idea! Thanks for commenting about that idea and of course, thank you for watching too!
-Mark
Super smart idea! I like how its affordable, heavy duty, and easy to store. I've seen cattle panels used in the garden but not like this, really creative. I Love how enticed your dog is by zip ties lol
Hi!
Thank you! Glad it was helpful! I also like the fact that they will last for years and years being very solid and the I can stack them in the winter and not take up much space is great! Between Holly and her full older sister Annie, who is a year older, there are some real antics around the farm! lol Someone brought a pound cake last week in a tupperware container and I noticed Annie throwing a red lid up in the air and catching it having a big time. Well, you guessed it, she stole the container off the counter in the retail greenhouse, took the lid off, ate the entire cake and than chewed up the container! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Very clever use of the 16 footer. For permanent use, one could fashion two whole cages from each 16 footer (one with 2' sides, one slightly smaller due to loss of 8" from cutting). But you were way smarter than that. You've devised a way to make robust cages and make them collapsible for storage. Great concept
Dude i love your channel its a miracle u made this video cuz i was dying to see how you made ur cages in the tomato video. Lotsa love from southern California!!
Hi!
Glad you enjoyed the video! Those make the best cages. They are heavy, will last for years and years and you can just cut the wire ties at the end of the season and stack them in the garage, shed for the winter and they don't take much space up at all. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
The interaction with your pup was precious!!! And I think I’m going to try those tomato cages!I have some cattle panels already.
Hi Linda!
Typically, I can't bring her along when working in the garden and the older 2 come with me and watch and now you see why! lol If I plant it, she pulls it out! They really do make great tomato cages. Linda, thanks so much for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Good luck with the cages too!
Take care,
-Mark
Great idea. Thanks for sharing. I use stakes and baskets from hog wire. I also plant over 100 tomatoes in my Ruth Stout garden. WOOF!!! That pup is awesome.
Love the upstaging of your co-star! 🤣 I'll be making my cages ,like yours, next spring! Great tip. I may put chicken wire at the bottom inside and attach to the walls so no critters can get to the plants! I have a few squirrels, skunks, groundhogs, and opossums that have been sneaking lower maters, this year!
HOLLY is just too darn CUTE!!!!!!!
I love cattle panels. I bend the entire panel lengthwise and secure to 4' t-posts 5 foot apart to make wonderful arches for my pickle plants to climb. You just walk thru the arch and the pickles just dangle between the squares.
Then I have a 16' panel secured running alongside my tomato plants and then I simply tie the main stem to the panel as it grows. I don't need cages at all this way.
Hi Roy!
Yes cattle panels are awesome!
I elected to use cages in this garden ultimately because I thought they would do a better job of showcasing each plant/ variety instead of growing them side by side on a fence.
With some further spacing, I think this can be accomplished.
I used to do my tomatoes on a tunnel... I love the tunnel, A- frame, and or fence concept!... airflow is wonderful!
Thank you for the input!
Best,
-Mark
I like that they are galvanized but the issue with all fencing is the narrowing spaces can't get my arm through. I have been using rolls of concrete re-mesh from the builder's supply/hardware store, 9ga wire on a 6" grid, comes 5ft wide and 150ft long, not galvanized but it is slow rusting. I like to cut it every 11 squares(5.5ft) per cage so I get 27 cages 5ft tall 21inch diameter, that it comes rolled makes round cages easy. I found a way to bend hooks on the sharp ends so they don't need ties and there is no wasted mesh. (the 20 inch diameter may need a stake to prevent tipping)
Double check the squares are exactly 6 inch before buying, some brands measure the roll by counting squares and the 5.8" spacing will cheat you out of 5feet per roll.
This guy is my hero.
lol Well, at least I'm somebodies hero! Thanks for watching Alex!
-Mark
Nice cage for tomatoes... Mark hero
So cute your doggy wants to play
I love Holly my son has. A yRottweiler. Such great dogs. Will be making cages this fall for next season.
Mark, you videos are incredibly informative and your place is beautiful.... but do you realize that Holly is going to become a internet superstar LOL!
Hi David!
Thank you! I'm glad you are enjoying them. Holly....I hope she doesn't realize that! She's bad enough now! Did you watch what she did to me in the end of the video thanking my viewers for 4K subscribers. lol In the last tomato tasting video, I had to stop with the camera still running towards the end because out of the corner of my eye, I saw a tomato cage across the garden waving back and forth. You guessed! Who else! In the first tomato tasting video shot a few weeks ago, you can see her on camera in the beginning lying behind me on her back with her feet in the air looking at my behind. You guessed! She rolled over and jumped up and nipped me in the behind. I had to edit out what I said to her. lol Her head got swelled up enough last week when a viewer was kind enough to send her a entire box of dog treats and all kinds of other stuff for her. lol Thank you for watching and commenting. Spread the word of the channel if you would!
David, you have a great day/evening!
Best -Mark
this is SUCH good information, and way better than buying billions of cages!
Hi!
I'm glad you found the video useful. I will probably never have to buy cages again. They are heavy, stack for winter storage, can be used as a "tent" in early spring over plants to throw a cover onto if you are getting a frost. A lot of benefits! Thanks for watching/commenting!
Best,
-Mark
lol! Like Siarl, I came for the cages, but stayed for Holly. . :) She is awesome! lol. .
Hi Lisa!
Holly....I love her too! She's a typical Rottie. Lots of energy and lot's of mischief. When Holly and her older sister Annie (same mom) get together, you know there is going to be some trouble. Annie is good for stealing peoples snacks, lunches who help out here on the farm. Yesterday, she took Wades triscuits from his snack bag and ate the entire box. They need to get smarter because Annie is definitely not going to get dummer!
Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Ty for showing how to make them,I will put my Man to work for next year,saving this video in favorite 🤩.
Hi Markiza!
They really are heavy duty, long lasting cages and you can take them apart into two sections, stack them and store them for the winter season. Thank you! Thanks for watching/commenting!
Happy Gardening!
-Mark
You read my mind Mark! I just spent $500 on these since the last time we spoke! I seen your garden and said, I gotta have it lol:) They look so nice and they are definitely going to be the best tomato cages. We made ours 9 squares tall and 6 squares wide but we cut the bottom line out to use as stakes... If that makes any sense. Helpful video:)
Hey Kristen!
Don't those make the most incredible cages! I'm glad you liked the video! Thanks for watching too!
Take care,
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 np, I love your videos! Keep them coming:) You should check out the book
Epic Tomatoes! Its a beautifully illustrated book with lots of history, ideas, recipes, tomato descriptions with beautiful pictures etc. I think you would love it!
The dog was hilarious.
We have a Goldendoodle named Lucy, who is now 2, but there are numerous stories of friends coming to our house and us having to chase Lucy around the backyard for their shoes or purse or something out of a purse up until the last 6 months or so. Holly is too cute!!
Hi Michele!
Believe it or not, Rotties are very playful and will drive you nutts through the puppy stage constantly pushing the boundaries of what they can get away with. lol Of course having a older sister who just turned a year old this past winter makes it even more difficult. It sounds as you went through the same with Lucy. Michele, thanks for watching & I hope you continue. If you like my channel, spread the word!
Take care,
-Mark
120 tomato plants, that is an impressive garden!
Hi Amin!
It was a lot of tomatoes! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
A dogs main goal in life is to distract it's owner. Your pup is adorable. Great info on the cages btw.
Different strokes for folks. I use cattle panels for my tomatoes but in traditional vertical row. Here in the Gulf Coast 90 degree days and 90 percent humidity lead to massive disease problems for tomatoes unless they have very good air circulation. I found traditional tomato support cages lead to disease. I now train the vines up the cattle panels and remove all lower leaves. This has given bumper crops past few years and minimal disease. Also much easier to see and pick fruit. Adaption to environment is essential to good garden results.
Nice video, those tomato cages are definitely heavy duty! Laughed at Holly! My golden does the same thing to me when I'm working in the garden. I was starting to think it was me.
Hi Michael!
Thank you! Yes, they are very heavy duty and I will probably be using them 20 years from now. lol Holly is a handful as well as her older sister (same mom) who just turned a year old. You have to love them though even when they can drive you crazy at times. lol Michael, I really appreciate you watching and hope you continue with future videos.
Take care,
-Tom
Puppies will be puppies! I will definitely stay tuned for future videos. And I will have to give those tomato cages a try- mine didn’t make it through ⅛ of the season last year!
Your puppy has grown so much so fast !
Hi Eduardo!
Yes, she sure has. I really notice that when I pick her up now. Eduardo, thanks for watching! I really appreciate that!
-Mark
This is what I was interested in… the tomato cages I saw in one of your other video. But then I was amused with what your Rott puppy was up to behind your back. Hahaha :D
It sure was very informative and delightful video.
Thanks for sharing this video c”,)
Hi Jasper!
Holly is something! She's grown a great deal since filming that, but just as bad still! Watch the video I did thanking my viewers for 4K subscribers in the very end what she did to me. That's Holly! lol I'm glad you enjoyed my video.
I appreciate you watching and of course, thank you for commenting too! Spread the word of the channel if you would.
Jasper, you have a great day!
Best, -Mark
Nice cages, love the dog
Hi Philip!
Thank you! She's a typical high energy Rottie pup! lol Thanks so much for watching!
-Mark
Things never go quite as planned with hounds around! She just wrecked the whole set lol. Hilarious and helpful video.
Hi Jeff!
So, so true! I thought about re-doing the video after all the interruptions, but I was short on time and couldn't. Glad you enjoyed and thanks for watching!
-Mark
This is a really interesting idea with cattle panels. I folded all mine into an "A" and had them span two rows and I just tie the tomato plants to the panels but after about 6 or 7 feet in height it gets annoying to pick them because of the reach. After watching your tomato video (which was awesome) I was very curious about your cages. Thanks for sharing and your doggo is adorable.
I used to do the tomato tunnel!...
Huge fan!
I like the cages because I like the idea of planting multiple varieties in proximity and still have onlookers be able to tell them apart somewhat... the plants don't grow together as much...
Well, that was the theory anyways! haha.
I think the extra space I'm giving this season will help.
Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Your cages looked awesome. I was one of those who was interested. Thanks for making this video!
Hi AADemps!
Glad it was helpful! Those make the most incredible cages. You would not believe how sturdy they are and they will last a lifetime most likely, so the initial investment is worth it. The fact you can just cut the wire ties at the end of the season and stack them in the garage is just a bonus. Thanks for watching! I really appreciate that!
-Mark
If I live by would buy all kinds of vegetables and stuff from garden yours probably taste better than in the stores.
Hi Ramon!
Thank you ! I actually give and donate all mine away.
Best, -Mark
Pay that baby some attention, love fur babies👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Hi Helen!
All 3 of them get lots of attention and love! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Thought I recognized that accent 😉. Hey from Baltimore! UA-cam algorithm just suggested your video. Looks like your channel is going to see some changes in traffic. #happyblowup
Hi Nick!
lol I didn't realize I had an accent! I'm seeing some changes now and I really appreciate that people are watching. I wasn't sure when I started if they would. Thanks for watching! I really appreciate that!
Take care,
-Mark
Very cool ... I saw your tomato video from last year, and was very impressed how you explained the basics of all the types and varieties of tomatoes. I shared it with a bunch of friends. As for the tomato cages, I am assuming when you say "two feet apart", you mean two feet between the edge of each cage? That's pretty wide spacing, which for you is not a problem, because you have plenty of space. Maybe in the early fall you can compare the harvest results between last year's spacing and this years.
Hi Jeff!
It's nice to hear you enjoyed the video and shared it too. That video was a last minute thought one really nice evening last August. You can tell there was no planning or prep put into it. I just walked around the garden and pointed out various tomatoes that I thought stood out in the group. Next time, I'll be a little more prepared and pre pick and pre-slice the various varieties so it speeds the video up. I'm still learning! lol The spacing- yes, 2 feet between cages. To tell you the truth, I don't fertilize at all and because of the soil, the tomatoes just got much larger than I anticipated. They were huge! *Watch my soil video being posted this coming Friday morning 5-14-21. Yes, that's a great idea to do a comparison video of harvest and I will. Well, thanks again for watching & I'm really glad you enjoyed it.
-Mark
Awesome great video I have been looking for high quality tomatoe cages
Glad I could help!
-Mark
Great tomato cage! Your dog was just too cute.
Thank you! I think I'll keep her! lol Having 3 Rotties together can be a challenge at times especially when 2 of them are still young. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Holly's buildin' somethin'... Here we go
Billy, Holly's always into something! It's a good thing I have the patience of a saint! lol
Holly is the star of this Video !😂😂
Hi Eljay!
Hope your doing well! I have to agree with you! lol Thanks for watching!
Take care,
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 of course! I recently started gardening on my rooftop a year ago, so I watch any videos I can get tips from. Hope you share more videos on gardening tip like how you take care of your Tomatoes next time haha!
So this is a tomato cage video? I thought we’re here for the cute puppy! ☺️
Hi Christi!
My dogs are always with me on the farm, so sometimes things don't go as planned! I almost re-filmed the video after all that with Holly, but with my time being so short this time of year, I just left it alone. Thanks for watching and hope you enjoyed even with the shenanigans of Holly! lol
-Mark
Those cages look super sturdy :) I'm searching all I can, but I'm not able to find anything equivalent to cattle panels where I live over here in Norway. Beautiful garden btw. Looking forward to seeing more from you (and your pup) :)
Hi Inger!
Yes, they really are extremely sturdy and I like the fact they are so easy to break down for winter storage. I've got to tell you, but it's amazing to me I am speaking to someone in Norway! The garden...thank you! I've spent a lot of time getting it to the point I am happy with it. Inger, I really do appreciate you watching & hope I keep it interesting enough that you continue! If you would, spread the word in Norway about my channel. I really would appreciate that! I would love to see some pic. of your garden in Norway.
Marksgardenlife.com
-Mark
I didn't hear most of what you were saying because.............Holly..........so cute :)
Hi Jessika!
lol So cute, but so bad too! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Beautiful animal!! Great content!
I've seen a couple of your videos and last years tomato review was GREAT. Your garden man i don't even know what to say it is beautiful . But the reason i subscribed to your channel is the HOUND. Holly is a cool pup and I loved her antics with the zip ties. LMAO Anyway take care of the hound she'll LOVE you her whole life.
Hi JstFunning!
Thank you! I appreciate the kind words. Holly is definitely ornery! I thought before I was about to film that video is she going to behave herself? As you saw, she didn't! It was frustrating when I was trying to film, but I'll most likely remember that video for years. lol Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed!
-Mark
Love your cages! Try using a couple Harbor Freight tent stakes to tether your cages to the ground.
John McHatton
Hi John!
They do make great long lasting heavy cages and I really like the fact they are so easy to break down and store for the winter season. I will have to order some and give that a try. Thank you for the suggestion! John, thanks for watching too!
-Mark
"Alexa, sort and separate puppy comments" .....wish that skill existed 🙂
(I love the puppy too, just wanted to read cage comments)
Thanks Farmer John,
Holly is my little helper...
Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Beautiful helper you got. 😂
Hi Franci!
I think so too! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
What a great idea. I want to try that for my melons and beans as well. #Awesomejob 👌
Hi Bebe!
Let me know how it works! If you would, I'd love some pic. this summer. marksgardenlife.com Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Nice idea.
Hi Rajish!
Glad you like it! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Hello new frend from phils..
Thanks for sharing...
Hi Elsies!
I get up your way on occasion. Elsies, thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed it.
Take care,
-Mark
great idea, well done.
Hi Andy!
Glad you like it! They make great heavy duty cages that will last for years and the great thing is they don't take up much room in the shed because you can tear them down and stack them for the winter. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
OMG! So, I am new here and saw a couple of other videos and fell in love with those cages. I was going to message you about them and this video showed up in my feed!! What are the chances? I've got to make some of those!
Lol! Rotties are my favorite breed of dog ever! The cages are nice too! Lol
Hi!
Thanks! I love Rotties as well. I'm fortunate with all the space here for them to run and have a good time. They are a high energy breed! One of them or more is usually with me all day long.
Thanks for watching!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 ~ You’re welcome!
💜🌱💜
I have friend who does this!! Tip suggestion on sharp edges...cut each section individually, take the straight cut edge and trim to about 2” , fold it around the next section, enclose the final section with zip ties. No need to fold and at the end of the season cut the ties and they fold flat for storage.
Love the pup thief “helper”!! 😂 🥰
if you make your cages 18" on a side, you will get four sides per panel and no waste
Love u r dog 😚😎
Hi Cathey!
I do too! She can be pretty bad at times, but she's a sweetheart!
Take care,
-Mark
Glad you got your zip ties back! Awesome video. This is gonna go hand in hand with the tomato variety video!
Did you think about turning the cattle panel 90° and get them to be longer. In that case you could potentially open the lower end to create spikes that can go in the ground and give more stability. 😉
Great question!
I did consider that,
You could certainly do it that way, and it was a tough call...
I ultimately elected to cut the other direction because I wanted the bend to land directly on a wire.
The panels i used don't quite line up at the halfway point in the other direction...
I guess it was just more aesthetically pleasing to me to do it this way.
Plus the "build 6 get one free" sold me.
Thanks for the input!
-Mark
@@marksgardenlife5971 always fun to watch, thank you!
I hope I will be able to get out of my routine this summer and visit the nursery.
Really hope you post regularly this year. Your gardens look great. How deep are those beds? I'm trying to get my tomatoes that big this year.
Hi Jeffrey!
Thank you!
The beds are roughly 6" tall... they are comprised of two courses of pressure treated "landscape timbers".
I tilled compost and manure into the ground below the beds before framing them out and filling them.
Good luck to you!
Thank you for watching!
And yes,
I intend to do a whole lot more posting,
-Mark
Thank you. 😀
You’re welcome 😊
She's like dad.... Pay attention to me lol that's a good idea for cages I know I've wasted a lot of money when I started on pretty red, green cages that bent as soon as the tomato set fruit 😕
oh...great way to do that....thanks
Hi !
You're very welcome! Thanks for watching too!
-Mark
Is it too forward to ask if you would marry me!?
Lmao
Just kidding. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge and your pup play time. Using a ton of your tips all the way in Illinois.
Hey Tiffany!
You are very welcome and I'm glad you are finding some of my videos helpful! I'm visit Chicago every few years for business. We are thinking of doing a gardening youtuber day where a lot of the top garden youtubers in the country attend and meet the people that follow them. Chicago will probably be one of the areas used and than probably a day on the east coast and also west coast. Would something like that interest you? Well, Tiffany, thanks for watching and also for taking the time to send me a comment.
-Mark
Mark, do you prune your tomatoes at all when the cages are on? If so, what method do you use and how often?
Hi Jake!
Yes, I have a video which explains this in detail...
ua-cam.com/video/-3H4ao_5hXI/v-deo.html
Thanks for watching!
Best,
-Mark
Going to also price cement construction wire to compare and perhaps buy a roll.
Hey John!
I priced the concrete wire and it is cheaper, but I liked the fact the cattle panels are galvanized and the wire gauge is heavier with the cattle panels too. If you purchase the concrete wire, I would buy it in panels so you don't have to go through the process of trying to flatten it. Someone a while back commented about the concrete wire on this video, so you may want to go back and read their comments. They had a lot of points they made. Thanks for watching/commenting!
Happy Gardening!
-Mark
What do you use for tomato disease(s)? I'm dealing with septoria leaf spot and typically early blight is close behind. We've had rain, hot, humid weather. perfect disease conditions.
I actually would electrify all the tomatoe cages by welding the excess panel wire to the cages so they havev continuity. When some jagoff tries to come and steal them they get a very nice suprise.
The farm is gated and very secure, so that is not a problem I worry about at all.
Really.
We all know Molly did all the real work.
Dude, just fess up!
How many plants are you getting in each cage? Cattle panels are not cheap and you only get 2 cages per panel. Winds up being around $11 per cage but I guess they should last for years.
Hi bigala!
Just one plant per cage. Those cages are very heavy and yes, they will last for years and years, so in the long run, they are fairly cheap. I like how I can break them down very easily in the fall and stack them away too. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
Great video. I am a new subscriber to your channel. What size are your beds for the tomatoes?
Hi Steve!
The tomato beds are 8ft x 24ft each... Each bed will contain 8 tomato cages and 8 tomato plants this year...
Thanks so much for subscribing!
-Mark
How do you keep squirrels from getting to your tomato's?
Hey Frank!
Actually, I have not had that problem yet. There are a lot of squirrels here on the property, but they seem to hang around the trees around the house. I see them sitting on the porch roofs on occasion too. Thanks for watching!
-Mark
🇨🇦🧑🌾🇨🇦GREAT beds! How did you cut the holes in your fabric cloth!
Hi,
Just took my pocket knife! Thanks for watching!
-Mark
You do great work on your cages. #Thankyoufortheinformation #ILovelearningsomethingnew great for longevity. Can't wait to get started. #NewsubHere
Thanks Bebe!
@@marksgardenlife5971 #Keepupthegreatwork
Your little dog is a very good student, she is learning every step of the way. Please buy her a bag of zip ties.
Hi Jacqueline!
She won 2nd prize at her dog class! lol Yes, they are like a sponge at that age. She wants everything I have my hands on that she can't have! lol Thanks for watching and I hope you enjoyed!
Take care,
-Mark
Better get that dog a bone!
Or a tennis ball!
Zip ties can be chewy. Lmao.
Hi Edward!
With a Rottie pup, a good many things are chewy! It's never ending! Thanks for watching and also for commenting. Glad you enjoyed too!
-Mark
She wants to play so badly! If she listens to a sit or down command at a distance, and ONLY if, next time she runs off with your stuff, give her a sit or down command. But remember the rule - never give a dog a command that you cannot enforce right away if she fails to perform.
On the cages, do you make it two sides vs four so that you can break them down and stack easily off-season?
Hi C S!
Yes, I've been taking her to class for several months now. Were in level 3 class right now. I like the 2 sides because they do stack so well. You can also use the 2 sided cages for tents over plants in early spring if you want to get things in early and cover on cool nights. Thanks for the advice on Holly and for watching/commenting too.
Best,
-Mark
Zip tie thief LOL
cant afford this. skipping video so I dont suffer lol
Hi Ivette!
To tell you the truth, for the amount of years those cages will last, they even be cheaper in the long run. I cut the wire ties every fall and stack them away in a building for the winter and that's great also.
-Mark
LOL ziptie THIEF